The Family Practice

Western College

Maternity Services

Congratulations on your pregnancy! We look forward to helping you through this pregnancy and hope that it will be an enjoyable experience. This leaflet will provide a general introduction to antenatal care available at this practice.

Midwife Care

Please contact the appropriate midwifery team at the earliest opportunity to arrange your booking appointment. They will see you early in your pregnancy (approximately 9 weeks) and at regular intervals thereafter.

At your booking appointment they will provide you with detailed information about local antenatal care, blood tests, antenatal classes and answer any questions you may have.

They will also refer you for an initial dating ultrasound scan and your detailed 20 week scan.

Due to the wide area the practice covers, maternity services are provided by four midwifery teams. The location of the team involved in your care will depend upon where you live. The boundaries are set by the Primary Care Trust and not the practice.

The teams are located as follows:

Location / Area’s covered / Contact Number
Hampton House / Redland, Clifton, Hotwells, Kingsdown
BS6 and part of BS1 and BS2 / 0117 3302583
Montpelier / Montpelier / 0117 9426811
Bishopston / Bishopston, St Andrews / 0117 4146743

Lawrence Weston / Stoke Bishop
Westbury on Trym
Henleaze / 0117 4146743

If you have any queries please contact the central booking team on 0117 4146743 or e-mail

Hospital Care

The majority of patients choose to have their babies delivered in a local hospital. The two maternity hospitals in this area are St Michael’s Hospital, (near the BRI) and Southmead Hospital. Your midwife will explain the hospital booking system in more detail at your first appointment.

Some women are interested in having their baby at home. Your midwife will be able to discuss this further with you at your first appointment.

General Practitioner Care

If you experience any difficulties throughout your pregnancy please do not hesitate to contact your midwife or the Duty Doctor at the surgery. Outside normal hours the same number for the surgery will connect you to the Out of Hours GP service.

Supplements in Pregnancy

When you are pregnant it is recommended that you take the following supplements:

  • 400 micrograms(mcg) of folic acid each day – you should take this ideally from before you are pregnant until you are 12 weeks pregnant.
  • The Department of Health also recommends you consider taking a vitamin D supplement. All adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women,need 10 micrograms (10mcg) of vitamin D a day, and should consider taking a supplement containing this amount.

Do not take vitamin A supplements, or any supplements containing vitamin A (retinol), as too much could harm your baby. Always check the label.

For further information on supplements in pregnancy see:

Foods to avoid in Pregnancy

There are some foods you should avoid or take precautions with when you’re pregnant as they might make you ill or harm your baby. For more information:

Healthy Diet in Pregnancy

For more information on maintaining a healthy diet in pregnancy see:

Alcohol in Pregnancy

The current Department of Health guidelines recommend that if you’re pregnant the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum. For more information see:

Smoking in Pregnancy

Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately

For further information and help see:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

NHS Choices Pregnancy and Baby Guide

NHS Pregnancy and Baby Weekly Update Emails– sign up to Start 4 Life

We wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy!